Former Mayor John Street – who has been verbally pummeling Mayor Nutter in the press for months – did not show today at a Nutter fundraiser during the annual Pennsylvania Society festivities in New York City.
But his son did.
Yes, Sharif Street strolled into Nutter's party in the W Hotel in midtown Manhattan and stared noshing on the plentiful buffet of cheese and cured meats. The 36-year-old attorney said he was not part of the ongoing beef between his dad and the current mayor.
"I think my father has an interesting perspective," Street said. "He feels he's given the mayor enough time. Now he wants to make his voice heard because he's dissatisfied with the direction of the city."
But Street – who has launched unsuccessful bids for City Council and State Representative -- said that he has found common ground with the mayor. He noted that said that he has worked with Nutter on support for the One Day at a Time Recovery Center.
"I will work with him as the mayor to try to serve the people of Philadelphia," Street said.
If Nutter has an opponent next year, Street said he'd review what the challenger had to say. Street said he did not buy a ticket for the event, but his law firm, Zarwin, Baum, DeVito, Kaplan, Schaer & Toddy, P. C, has contributed to Nutter.
In a recent Philadelphia Magazine piece, former Mayor John Street spoke to his former foe Sam Katz about Nutter, calling him a "mediocre councilman" now in "way over his head." He labeled as a failure the 3-1-1 phone system implemented under the Nutter administration and complained about Nutter's approach to municipal union contracts, casinos and property-tax assessments.
Nutter has largely brushed off the attacks from Street. His afternoon party, which had a ticket price of $1,000 or $2,500, drew more than 100 guests. Among the attendees were Council members Marian Tasco, Curtis Jones Jr. and Blondell Reynolds Brown, State Rep. Tony Payton and Register of Wills Ron Donatucci.
Nutter thanked the guests for attending and said he thought Philly was set to turn a corner after years of fiscal challenges.